Champions Whalsay maintain league form with single-goal victory away to Spurs

Newly crowned senior football champions Whalsay, who added the Parish Cup for good measure at the weekend, maintained their league form by defeating Spurs on Monday, probably putting paid to any hopes the Lerwick side had of a runners-up finish. Celtic are now clear favourites to take second place, with Whitedale in pursuit, but Delting are are finishing well and have important games in hand.

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Scalloway 0, Delting 4

With both sides missing key players it was the visitors who picked up the three points as they easily brushed aside a disjointed Scalloway side.

The opening period of the game was a fairly even contest until poor marking allowed Leighton Flaws the opportunity to volley a driven corner into the goal to open the scoring.

Delting doubled their advantage soon after when another front post corner was turned into the net by Ian Greenhill. New Scalloway signing Scott Bridges was unfortunate not to pull a goal back when his shot was blocked on the goal line.

The match was effectively finished as a contest when a back post corner found an unmarked Ross Jamieson and his cushioned header was met by Ross MacDougal to give Delting a three-goal lead at the break.

The second half saw an improved performance from the home side but in truth they rarely looked like troubling the Delting defence. Delting almost added to the tally when Fraser Hall was released through on goal but keeper Bryan Johnson pulled off a fine save.

The Scalloway defence were then caught cold as they pushed out from a corner only for the ball to be played back to an unmarked Robert Balfour who coolly rounded the keeper to complete the scoring.

The score was an accurate reflection of Delting’s control of the game and Scalloway will hope that the return of several first team regulars will see them put an to their recent disappointing run of form.

Spurs 0, Whalsay 1

Spurs made the better start to the early part of the game with some neat possession football, but they lacked that spark of creativity in the final third and no chances were forthcoming.

Whalsay eventually came to life with 15 minutes on the clock when they forced four corners in succession. The Spurs defence seemed quite disorganised, allowing Whalsay players a number of free headers, but keeper Craig Dinwoodie pulled off a couple of good saves to keep the scores level.

Spurs then wrested the initiative back by utilising the pace of Connell Gresham and Sam Goudie up front. Gresham went close as he hit the post following a strong run down the left flank while Goudie was unlucky to have a goal ruled out for offside.

Gresham should have done better when he was through one-on-one only for his touch to let him down and allow Grant Thomson on the Whalsay goal to collect the ball.

The first half concluded with Whalsay trying their luck with a few long-range shots that failed to hit the target.

The second half got under way with the Spurs midfield quartet of Scott Morrison, James Johnston, Josie Kay and Sam Ward dominating possession while Whalsay were still looking dangerous on the counter attack.

Johnston went close after a mazy dribble through the midfield and his left foot shot whistled past Thomson’s right hand post. Sean Maver was then introduced for Goudie and he got in behind the Whalsay defence on a few occasions only to see no-one get on the end of the balls across the box.

Whalsay came back into the game and produced a number of half chances that were either scrambled clear by the some last-ditch defending or dealt with by the impressive Dinwoodie.

Whalsay’s pressure finally paid off when a long ball over the top was not dealt with by the Spurs defence and Bryan Irvine was on hand to slot the ball home after Dinwoodie had blocked his first effort.

Spurs reacted well to the setback and again had the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out as Kay was adjudged to have pushed the Whalsay defender before heading into the top corner.

The final chance of the game again fell to Kay but his header on the stretch floated over the bar.

On the whole Spurs will feel aggrieved that their superior possession did not reward them with at least a draw while Whalsay will be pleased to have ground out a win from a sub-standard performance.

Celtic 2, Scalloway 1

Celtic maintained a push for second spot in the league thanks to a determined second-half performance as Seafield on Monday.

Scalloway were the better side for most of the first half, pushing Celtic back with some determined pressing football. They hit the woodwork after five minutes, Gary Burns seeing his chipped effort catch out Paul Grant between the Celtic sticks, before Scott Henderson opened the scoring after only 10 minutes when the Celtic defence failed to pick up his run as he drove through the centre to slot the ball past Grant.

Scalloway striker Alan Davidson was finding acres of space between the Celtic central defensive pairing of Joel Bradley and Robert Smith, exploiting it well on occasions to cause panic and problems in the penalty area.

Andrew Flett, assured as ever in defence for Scalloway, should perhaps have put the visitors two up after 21 minutes. A Davidson free kick was not dealt with by the Celtic defence and young Flett watched his effort rise over the bar. Another Davidson set piece was held well by Grant as Scalloway failed to take chances that would have made a Celtic comeback all the harder.

Celtic did create some openings during the first half. Joe Leask won the foot race for a long ball with keeper Bryan Johnson but Flett did very well in winning the ball and conceding only a corner kick. Leask was set free again, this time by Connor Regan, but he was beaten to the ball by Johnson.

Celtic then drew level with four minutes of the half remaining. A corner on the left was swung in by James Aitken to the back post and Joel Bradley timed his run well to beat everyone else and thunder the ball home from four yards.

Steven Umphray could well have regained the lead for Scalloway three minutes later, making great room for himself in the Celtic box before flashing a shot past the post.

The second half started with Scalloway’s Laurence Pearson seeing his chipped effort just pass over the bar but Celtic began to up the pace and effort, Their football started to flow but finishing was an Achilles heel as a few chances went a begging.

Pearson linked well with Davidson, whose deft first touch pulled a first class save out of Grant as he kept the scoreline even.

Lowrie Simpson strayed into an offside position before tapping home a Jordan Webb pass and Webb himself saw a glanced header ease past the wrong side of the left hand post as Celtic pressed for a winner.

With 10 minutes left the winner duly arrived. Sam Wood controlled the ball well on the left, turned inside and played in Webb who eased past a defender before striking at goal, his shot from the edge of the area squirming over Johnson into the net.

Scalloway will rue missed chances during the first half as Umphray, Davidson and Henderson carved openings as they dominated play. But Celtic can point at a carbon copy during the second period as Webb, Aitken and Regan pushed forward. Flett was Scalloway’s star man throughout while some around him faded and Celtic turned in a second 45 minutes that should act as a lesson learned.

Delting v Ness United

The match was postponed due to no referee and will be rescheduled at a later date.

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